PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Papa Legba (ranked 333 p4p, 1128 weight class) and Shane Stead (ranked 47 p4p, 152 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Legba
vs
Stead

178 cm
24
185
10 - 3 - 0

190 cm
24
195
6 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing
Conviction

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Papa Legba!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shane Stead!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Tiny Johnson and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Legba shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Stead manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Legba trying to control the position from guard on top but Stead is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stead wants to sweep here but Legba controlling him for the moment.
Legba trying to control the position from guard on top but Stead is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Legba avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Legba sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Stead's guard.

Legba is working for a submission of some sort.
Stead has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Legba controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Legba passes to full mount!

Legba has control of Stead's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Stead regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Stead is trying to escape the mount.
Stead is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Legba tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Legba wants to control the pace but Stead is squirming around nicely.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Legba wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Legba is working hard here to advance position.
Stead keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Stead stops Legba from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

Legba has hold of Stead's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Stead manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Legba trying to control but Stead is having none of it.

Legba looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Legba with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Legba goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Stead is on top in guard.
Stead lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Legba working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Stead doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Stead manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Legba is on top in guard.

Stead keeping full guard, as Legba tries to pass.
Stead keeping moving, preventing Legba from controlling successfully.
Legba might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Legba stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Stead swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stead looking to hit a scissor sweep but Legba is one step ahead there.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Legba advances to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Papa Legba dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Stead throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Legba seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Stead missing with a left hand there. Legba was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Stead misses the shot to the body.
Legba shoots for a double leg takedown but Stead sprawls well. He's pushed Legba's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Stead waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Legba.
Legba fails in his attempt to clinch.

Legba feints and as Stead raises his hands in defense, Legba changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Legba passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Stead is trying to control Legba's posture but Legba avoids it.
Stead really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Legba. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Legba wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Stead, who protects the arm well.
Legba trying to control the action but Stead is working from the bottom.
Legba is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Stead can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stead is looking to regain half guard here but Legba keeps moving and retains side control.
Legba tries to move into full mount but can't pass Stead's legs.
Papa Legba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stead is looking to regain half guard here but Legba keeps moving and retains side control.

Legba is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Stead knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Stead prevents Legba from improving position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Stead struggling a bit here.

Legba is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Stead knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Legba trying to control the position but Stead is working away.

Legba tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Legba has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Stead is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stead is not content to let Legba control the position.
Legba wants to control for a moment but Stead uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Stead slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Legba advances to half guard.
Legba is looking to pass Stead's guard but actually Stead recovers to full guard.
Legba wants to control from the top but Stead keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stead is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Stead keeping moving, preventing Legba from controlling successfully.
Legba pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stead is keeping the position for now.
Legba looking to sit in guard and control but Stead gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Legba tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Legba bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Stead's guard.

Legba passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Stead prevents Legba from improving position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Papa Legba dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Stead throws a hook but Legba avoids it easily.
A little feinted left hand from Legba on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Stead takes a jab right on the kisser.
Legba gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Stead.
Stead throws a leg kick
and Legba counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
The crowd cheers as Stead lands an impressive looking overhand right. Legba doesn't seem phased though.
Stead lands a jab to the nose.
Legba moves out of range of the strikes.
Legba drops down looking for a counter takedown but Stead sprawls and moves away.
Stead swings away with a body shot that misses
and Stead takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Stead connects with a right hand. Legba shakes it off.
Jab by Legba.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Legba misses with a hook. Stead ducked under it nicely.
Legba has been working on his balance at Blake Phoenix Champion Factory, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Stead.
Legba shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Stead sprawls well. Stead wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Legba gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stead is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Legba is looking to clinch but Stead is avoiding it.

Legba scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Legba is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Stead doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Legba.

Legba is working for a submission of some sort.
Stead wants to control but Legba is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Legba prevents Stead from improving his position.

Legba is working for a kimura but Stead is defending it quite comfortably.
Stead moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Legba slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stead looking to control but Legba passes into half guard.
Stead is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Stead regains full guard. Nicely done.
Legba wants to pass the guard but Stead is keeping the position.
Legba stands and throws Stead's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Stead is not content to let Legba control the position.
Stead is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Legba passes to side control.
Stead struggling a bit here.
Stead gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

Legba with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Legba tries to control but Stead wriggling away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Legba goes for an armbar but Stead turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Stead.
Stead with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Papa Legba did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Stead looks to land a left hand but Legba moved out of range nicely.
Stead scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Stead misses with a takedown attempt - Legba sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Stead throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Legba sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Stead throws a nice looking combination but Legba bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Legba changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Stead shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Legba looks to throw the jab but Stead is out of range.
Stead swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Legba counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Legba.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stead lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Legba looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Legba bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Stead's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Legba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Stead looking to control.
Legba works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Legba passes to full mount!

Legba is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Stead has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Legba wants to control the pace but Stead is squirming around nicely.

Stead has left one of his arms exposed and Legba doesn't need a second invitation. He's isolated it and locked on a tight armbar. Stead screams and taps out, obviously in a lot of pain. Hopefully there isn't permanent damage to that arm.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Papa Legba!
Papa Legba retains his middleweight title!
After winning the bout, Papa Legba thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.